// Operative Manual
Section 02 · Open
Clearance Levels
Every account has a clearance level from 0 to 5. Only command staff can change it. Reading records, earning a rank or filing reports never raises it.
| Level | Name | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Public | Anyone, including visitors without an account. |
| 1 | Low | Approved accounts. The usual starting level for new members. |
| 2 | Staff | Trusted members. Can read most of the working archive. |
| 3 | Secret | Granted by command staff. Opens sealed records. |
| 4 | Top Secret | A small group. Opens the most sensitive records. |
| 5 | Eyes Only | Command staff. Everything. |
Two kinds of gate
- Page clearance decides who can open the record at all. Below it, the visitor gets an access-denied screen and sees only a redacted entry in the index.
- Redaction level decides who can read one hidden phrase inside a record they can already open. Readers below it see a black bar. The hidden text is never sent to their browser.
They work together: a public record (page clearance 0) can still hide its best details behind levels 1 to 4. That is how the archive draws people in and gives them a reason to earn more access.
Choosing a page clearance
- Choose the lowest level that fits. Most records should be 0, 1 or 2 so that people can read them.
- Raise it only when the whole record is sensitive, not just a detail. Hide details with redactions instead.
- Operatives may only suggest clearances up to their own level. Command staff make the final decision.
Other ways to open a record
A decrypt code opens one specific sealed record for one account without raising their clearance. Codes are set by command staff and are usually hidden inside other records as puzzles.